Family Bonds
by Noobycakes
Summary: Kotaru never spoke to anyone, nor had they seen his eyes. Here's what happened. R


Pain erupted throughout my body as I felt the molten hot tongs rip out one of my eyes. Blood poured freely in mocking tears as I wished for darkness to take me. Instead, it just taunted me, teasing the edges of my consciousness, but not claiming it.

"So, ninja, do you wish to answer me now?" My tormentor asked, his breath scalding my ear.

The only sound I gave was that of my strangled breathing. Even if I was able to speak through the agony, I would never tell him anything. I owe Master Hojo my life.

"Need a little more convincing, huh?" My interrogator grinned as he said it, enjoying the prospect.

At this, I was swarm of emotions. I was terrified of what was to come, but not enough to talk. For that reason, I also felt brave. I was slightly hopeful that I would be rescued before the man continued his work on me, but I knew it was a false hope. There was too little time.

I watched as the tongs, already covered in my blood, quickly cross the distance to my only eye left, and felt it dig in and rip that out as well.

I cried out as darkness stole my sight. Through the wretched pain, ironic thoughts popped into my mind. My last sight was of this man's ugly mug, instead of the cherry blossoms that will now forever be in my memories, and the darkness that came to me, was not the one I had wished before.

I felt the man grab my dark hair roughly, yanking my head up. It must have fallen to my chest. I felt my blood tears start to trickle down my neck, blending in with my red tattoos.

"Have anything to say yet?" He asked into my ringing ears.

I will never betray Master Hojo. I owed him for taking me in; training me and feeding me, when anyone else would have left me to die. He was a father to me.

"Talk already!" He yelled, getting impatient.

"Hold your fist, Rin!" A commanding voice said. Someone must have entered, because it was only me and Rin when he had stolen my eyes.

"Sir!" Rin exclaimed, obviously shocked to see this man here.

"Has he said anything?"

"No, Sir. He's very strong-willed, but I think he'll break soon."

"No."

"Excuse me, Sir?"

"It seems that Fujimasa was captured. We're going to trade this fellow for him in three days time."

"Yes, Sir." I detected a hint of disappointment in Rin's voice as my spirits soared.

"Until then, do whatever with him. Just make sure he lives." The commander said nonchalantly. My spirits fell slightly, but only slightly.

"Sir, what if the Hojo's find out that we continued questioning him after the deal was made?"

"Use your brain. See if you can get anything out of him today, and then cut out his tongue tomorrow. It will seem like an older wound that way, and he'll not only be unable to speak, but write as well."

The day passed painfully slow with no end in sight. There were moments where I thought I would gratefully loose consciousness, but I never did. The man knew how to do his job. I reluctantly gave him credit. The only thing that kept my hopes up through it all was that I'd soon be back home.

I nearly lost it, the next day, when I was riled from my unstable sleep. I felt myself drug from my cell, being unable to walk myself at this point, and thrown onto the cold floor. Unable to catch myself, my hands have been tied behind my back since I first got captured, I fell forward, slamming my head and chest onto what seemed to be a little table.

"Hold him." Rin demanded his cronies and I felt their bodies capture mine, throwing their entire weight into me to keep me still.

Terror chilled my veins, and my breath caught in my chest as I felt a pair of hands pry my teeth apart. I tasted dirt and grime as fingers gripped my tongue, only to be replaced with the metallic zing of pincers which stretched my tongue out as far out of my mouth as it would go. I tried to fight against my captors, but I had little strength and couldn't even gain an inch.

One more day. I thought fervently to myself over and over, trying to hold on. Onto what is a good question. Hope? Sanity?

"Now you'll never be able to speak again. You'll take your blasted silence with you to the grave." Rin growled at me.

A whistle proceeded the pain as he sliced through my tongue.

"Make sure he doesn't drown in his own blood." Was the last thing I heard before my wish of weeks was realized and I lost consciousness.

I came back to reality, albeit reluctantly. Fear made me cautious; fear that I'll awaken in that cold cell with the peals of callous laughter.

As I became more aware, I was surprised to feel warmth. Noting that my hands were laying loosely at my sides, I lifted one to feel that I was under covers, and brought it up to my face. I felt bandages covering my sore eye sockets.

"Kotaro." A wizened voice said softly, sorrowfully.

I tilted my head to the side, aiming my ear in the direction of the voice. It sounded like Master Hojo. My hopes, which I didn't notice before had been slowly rising, now bolted up.

"Kotaro, my boy." He started again. I knew for sure now that it was him. "I'm so sorry. I tried to get you back as fast as I could, but…" He chocked up at the end.

I was immediately up. Ignoring my shaking legs and wooziness, I stumbled around, feeling for him.

"Kotaro, you shouldn't be up!" Master Hojo yelled, one thing he was always good at, and I heard him run to me. He grabbed me firmly, but gently, and began to lead me back to the bed I so rashly left. "Get back in bed!"

Twisting out of his grip, I hugged him. Thank you, Master Hojo, for saving me in the past, as well as recently. I thought the words I wasn't allowed to speak, and hoped (boy, I was doing a lot of that lately) it conveyed to him.

"Kotaro." Master Hojo said, hugging me back. "I'm sorry I couldn't rescue you sooner." After we broke off the hug quickly, he said, "That doesn't leave this room, got it?"

I smiled. How would I even tell anyone?

"Now, get back in bed and rest until you're better. You need to heal quickly because you need to retrain yourself. You are still a Hojo ninja, and if I can fight in my old age, you can fight too!"

There was more to that statement than met the ear. He wasn't being pushy, or inhumane. He was giving me something to live for, and telling me that he still placed his trust in me. Trust that I would protect him, as he has me. Trust that I would live as well as I can, rather than being a cripple who sat indoors all day. Trust, that saving me, wasn't a mistake. I gave a slight nod of my head.

"Now get back in bed." He said for the thousandth time and led me to it.

As I got in, fatigue got the best of me and I fell asleep even though many questions had begun to swim around in my head. When did I get rescued? Has it been hours? Days? Did the trade go smoothly? How is the clan? How are you, old man?

**A/N: I haven't played the first two games (I'll be looking into it soon though) so I don't know if it explains why Kotaru covers his eyes or doesn't talk (it could purely be a fashion statement and personality thing) but after playing his character, this idea popped into my head ^_^**


End file.
